Delta5(10)-estraene-3, 17-diol and esters thereof



United States Patent 2,705,721 A -ESTRAENE-3,17-DIOL AND ESTERS THEREOF Leonard N. Nysted, Highland Park, 111., assignor to G. D. Searle & Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois N0 Drawing. Application April 14, 1954, Serial No. 423,227

3 Claims. (Cl. 260-3975) The present invention relates to new and valuable steroids and, more specifically, to 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,l1,12,13, 14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]phenan threne-3,l7-diol and its carboxylic acid esters and to their preparation. The compounds which constitute my invention can be represented by the general structural wherein R is a member of the class consisting of hydrogen and acyl radicals derived from hydrocarbon carboxylic acids preferably containing less than 9 carbon atoms. Representative acyloxy radicals which R0 can represent are fonnyloxy, acetoxy, proplonoxy, butyroxy, valeroxy, hexanoyloxy, heptanoyloxy, octanoyloxy, benzoyloxy, phenylacetoxy, toluoyloxy, cyclohexylformyloxy, fi-cyclopentylpropionoxy, and those derived from maleic, succinic, glutaric, and adipic acids, and the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide pharmaeologically valuable compounds. It is a special object of my invention to provide active anabolic and androgenie agents. It is a further object of my invention to provide compounds which are useful as intermediates in the synthesis of other pharmacologically active steroids. Additional objects of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following.

For the synthesis of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,l4,16,17- tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[aJphenanthrene 3,17- 'l, I prefer to subject 3-oxo-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13, 14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-17-ol to the reducing action of an alkali metal borohydride or alkali metal aluminum hydride, the preferred alkali metals being lithium and sodium. Monoas well as diesterification is accomplished by the use of the corresponding proportions of anhydrides, chlorides, or ketenes of the corresponding acids. If one equivalent or less of the acyl halide, anhydride or ketene is used in the procedures described in the examples below, monoesterification in the 3-position predominates greatly. Mixed esters of the general formula cfi CK. wherein R and R are different acyl radicals, are prepared by treatment of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,l1,12,13,l4,16,l7- tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,17- diol with one equivalent of RCOCl or (R2CO)2O, isolation of the 3-acyloxy derivative and further esterification with a compound of the type R'COC! or (R'CO)2O. so

' ceding example Example 1 To refluxing solution of 45 parts of 3-metl1oxy- A -estradien-17;3-o1 in 600 parts of absolute methanol are added 50 parts of glacial acetic acid. Refluxing 10 minutes after which 750 parts of hot water are added. The reaction mixture is maintained at 0 C. until the 3-oxo-A -estraen-l7 8-01 precipitates. 0n recrystallization from a mixture of acetone and petroleum ether it melts at about 174-176 C.

A solution of 33 parts of the 3-oxo-A (10)-estraen- 175-01 in 700 parts of dioxane and 700 parts of ether is added to a solution of 50 parts of lithium aluminum hydride in 3500 parts of ether. The reaction mixture is stirred at reflux temperature for 5 hours and then at room temperature for 10 hours. It is then treated with 200 parts of ethyl acetate. Stirring is continued for another hour after which the reaction is poured into 1200 parts of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 5000 The etherie layer is washed with dilute The mixture of acetone and The 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,14,16,17- tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,l7-

diol thus obtained melts at about 206208 C. Its optical rotation in a 1% chloroform solution is [a] =+134 Example 2 A mixture of 39 parts of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,14, 16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]phenan- Example 3 A mixture of 2 parts of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,1l,l2,l3,14,16, l7-tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[alphenanthrene- 3,17-diol, 21 parts of propionic anhydride and 15 parts of pyridine is heated for an hour at C. and then treated with ice. Isolation by the method of the preyields 3,l7-dipropionyloxy-l,2,3,4,6,7, 8,9,l1,l2,l3,14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopentaEaJphenanthrene.

Example 4 Example 5 For the 4 parts of benzoyl chloride used in the preceding example there are substituted 5 parts of ,8-cyclopentylpropionyl chloride. There is thus obtained 3,17- di( 8 cyclopentylpropionyloxy) l,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,1l,l2, l3,14,l6,l7 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta[a]- phenanthrene.

Example 6 A solution of 55 parts of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13,14, 16,1.7 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopentaEalphenanthrene-3,17-diol in 165 parts of benzene is mixed with 28 parts of benzoyl chloride and heated at 30 C. for 12 hours. The reaction mixture is Worked up as in Example 4. The 3-benzoy1oxy-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12, 13,14,l6,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopentaEa1-phenanthrene-17-ol can be further purified by chromatography on silica gel. 48 parts of this product, 100 parts of acetic anhydride and 500 parts of pyridine are stirred at 70 C. for 30 minutes and the reaction mixture is worked up by the method of Example 2. There is thus obtained 3-benzoyloxy-17-acetoxy-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9, 11,12,13,14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta- [a phenanthrene.

I claim:

1. A member of the class consisting of 1,2,3,4,6,7,

8,9,11,12,13,14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H cyclopenta- [a]phenanthrene-3,17-diol and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13, 14,16,17 tetradecahydro 15H c'yclope'nta[a]phenanthrene-3,17.-diol esters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids containing less than 9 carbon atoms.

2. 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,l3,14,16,17 tetradecahydrolSH-cyclopenta[a1phenanthrene-3,17-diol.

3. 3,17 diacetoxy 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,l1,12,13,14,16,17- tetradecahydro-l5H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Colton Oct. 13, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES 

1. A MEMBER OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF 1,2,3,4,6,7, 8,9,11,12,13,14,16,17 - TETRADECAHYDRO - 15H - CYCLOPENTA(A)PHENANTHRENE-3,17-DIOL AND 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,13, 14,16,17 - TETRADECAHYDRO - 15H - CYCLOPENTAL(A)PHENANTHRENE-3,17-DIOL ESTERS OF HYDROCARBON CARBOXYLIC CIDS CONTAINING LESS THAN 9 CARBON ATOMS. 